Modern uPVC frames are not painted. The colour comes from a foil laminated onto the profile under heat and pressure during manufacture, which is why anthracite grey and woodgrain finishes hold their appearance for decades rather than flaking like paint. You can also specify a different colour inside and out, so the frames can be grey to the street and white to the room, and that dual colour option is now one of the most common choices we fit on Wirral homes.
Key takeaways
- Colour on uPVC is a factory laminated foil, not a coating applied afterwards.
- Dual colour lets you match the elevation outside and keep a light interior inside.
- Darker foils absorb more heat, so profile reinforcement and glazing specification matter more.
- Aluminium is powder coated instead, which opens up the full RAL colour range.
- Foils cannot be changed later, so decide colour properly at survey stage.
How a coloured uPVC frame is made
The profile is extruded in white or a base colour, then a decorative foil is bonded to the visible faces under heat and pressure. The foil carries the colour and, on woodgrain finishes, an embossed texture you can feel. Because it is laminated rather than sprayed there is no paint film to lift at an edge, and the surface is UV stabilised so it holds colour rather than fading unevenly.
That construction explains the practical differences homeowners notice. There is nothing to repaint. Scratches are more visible than on solid white because the base material underneath is a different colour. And you cannot change your mind later, because refoiling an installed frame is not a realistic proposition. Spray applied finishes exist as a remedial option but they reintroduce the paint film that foil avoids.
Colour choice sits alongside style choice, and the two interact. Our guide to window styles and colours covers the pairing, and the profile options are on our casement windows page.
Why dual colour has become the default request
The reason is straightforward. Homeowners want the frames to look right on the elevation from the street, and they want the room to stay bright inside. Anthracite grey outside reads as modern and crisp against most brick and render, but grey frames inside a small room absorb light and can make the space feel heavier. Specifying grey externally and white internally solves both, and it costs less than colouring both faces.
The variations we fit most are anthracite grey outside with white inside, black outside with white inside, and a woodgrain such as light oak or rosewood outside with white inside on period properties. Cream and Chartwell green appear on cottages and traditional elevations where a stark white would look wrong.
| Finish | How the colour is applied | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Solid white uPVC | Colour is in the material itself | Most economical, and scratches are far less visible |
| Foiled uPVC | Laminated foil bonded in the factory | Wide colour and woodgrain range, cannot be changed later |
| Powder coated aluminium | Coating baked onto the metal | Full RAL range and slimmer frames for the same span |
Do dark frames cause problems?
They need to be specified properly, which is a different thing from being a problem. A dark foil absorbs noticeably more solar heat than white, so the profile runs hotter on a bright elevation. Manufacturers account for this with appropriate steel reinforcement and by approving certain foils for certain applications, which is one reason to fit systems from an established manufacturer rather than an unbranded profile.
The second consideration is the glass rather than the frame. A large dark framed window on a bright elevation is a room that will gain heat, so this is the moment to think about glazing specification alongside colour, which we covered in our article on solar control glass. As an Eurocell authorised partner we work within tested profile and foil combinations rather than improvising, and the BFRC explains how the resulting window performance is rated.
Matching a colour across a phased replacement
Many homeowners replace windows in stages, front elevation first and rear later. That is sensible budgeting but it creates a matching problem, because foil batches vary slightly and profile designs change over the years. Record the exact foil reference and profile system on your paperwork at the first installation so the second phase can be ordered to match. And group the phasing by elevation, so any slight variation falls at a corner rather than between two adjacent windows.
Doors are worth planning at the same time. A composite front door in a colour that complements the frames pulls the elevation together, and door colour ranges do not always map exactly onto window foils, so seeing them side by side beats matching from two separate brochures.
How we handle colour selection at survey
What does colour add to the cost?
Colour is a genuine cost factor rather than a token surcharge, because a foiled profile takes an extra manufacturing process and is not held in the same volume as white. Dual colour sits between white and fully coloured on both faces, which is part of why it is so popular. Woodgrain and heritage colours sit higher again. Lead times also lengthen, because coloured profile is often made to order.
Practical advice on choosing frame colour
- View samples outdoors against your own brickwork, not indoors under artificial light.
- Look at what neighbouring properties have done, particularly on a uniform terrace or estate.
- Consider the room, not just the elevation, when deciding on the internal face.
- Ask for the exact foil reference in writing for future matching.
- If the property is listed or in a conservation area, check what is permitted before choosing.
Frequently asked questions
Can coloured uPVC frames be painted a different colour later?
Do grey window frames fade?
Is anthracite grey going to look dated?
Can I have different colours on different elevations?
Are woodgrain finishes convincing on uPVC?
Does frame colour affect the energy performance?
Getting the colour right on your own elevation
Colour is the decision homeowners most often wish they had spent longer on, and it is the one that is hardest to change afterwards. We will bring samples out, hold them against your house in daylight, and talk through inside and out separately. If you are replacing in phases across the property, we will record everything needed to match the next stage properly.